Disney College Program for Parents Thread...

[Joanna71985]

Reading this brought tears to my eyes. Is your daughter going to be using the Disney Bus System to go to and from work? So basically it looks like once the students are checked in they are taken to their first meeting? So I guess that is when I say good-bye??? I was hoping to take DD to Walmart after she checks in. I need to return my rental car by 5:30PM the first day, and then Magical Express takes me to the airport early the very next day. I wonder if I need to go to Walmart the day prior? DD is really starting to get cold feet. Thanks for sharing this info. with us.

When does she check in?

 

[kikiq]

Reading this brought tears to my eyes. Is your daughter going to be using the Disney Bus System to go to and from work? So basically it looks like once the students are checked in they are taken to their first meeting? So I guess that is when I say good-bye??? I was hoping to take DD to Walmart after she checks in. I need to return my rental car by 5:30PM the first day, and then Magical Express takes me to the airport early the very next day. I wonder if I need to go to Walmart the day prior? DD is really starting to get cold feet. Thanks for sharing this info. with us.

Yes, DD will be using the bus system. She's in a 4 bdrm at Chatham and 2 girls have cars. But they are both hospitality folks at resorts. I had planned on going to Walmart on Sunday after I picked up the car. ( Looks like we have the same plan.) While I am not usually direction impaired, I didn't have good luck on Sunday night. I wanted to see where Chatham and Vista were before Monday morning, so we found them first. I would go to Walmart on Sunday to get what you need since she doesn't know what time her first meeting will be. The girls took the shuttle to Walmart yesterday and again today to get more food. She said the Walmart shuttle was pretty dependable.

The first meeting DD went to on Monday was for Casting. So she was very excited after that. This morning she went to a Housing Welcome meeting and then there was a pool party for the new CPers. She starts Traditions tomorrow.

Does your daughter have a roommate already? One of the roommates told me that this was her first plane trip and her first time to WDW. She was so excited that she was vibrating in the car. If your daughter wants to contact my daughter, PM me and I'll get her facebook account for her.

 

[kikiq]

I need to return my rental car by 5:30PM the first day, and then Magical Express takes me to the airport early the very next day.

Where do you live? We live 30 minutes from Disneyland.

 

[balletskater]

Hi everyone! I know how all the parents feel. I brought my daughter there i Itin January and miss her very much. She is living in Chatham also .She is a character performer and loving every minute of it. If anyone needs any questions asked , please feel free to pm me. It definitely is a magical experience !

 

[tlynk]

Hi everyone! I know how all the parents feel. I brought my daughter there i Itin January and miss her very much. She is living in Chatham also .She is a character performer and loving every minute of it. If anyone needs any questions asked , please feel free to pm me. It definitely is a magical experience !

Thank you!

 

[wdwfam]

The day DD checked in last August, after moving stuff into her apartment, she had her first meeting. That evening left us plenty of time to go to Wal-Mart, Target and IKEA with her roommates. We had a great time shopping for stuff for their apartment. Got back to the apartment about 10:30 that night. DD took me back to my hotel about 11:30 after we unpacked all her stuff and got everything basically organized. I flew back home the next day.

 

[kikiq]

Question about the CP last day. My daughter's program is from June 15 to Jan 2. I've attempted to figure it out from all the posts, but does she move out Jan 2 or could she possibly work Jan 2 and have to move out Jan 3?

I'd ask my daughter to ask but she's in the midst of training AND she doesn't have her cell phone replacement yet.

 

[piratechick]

Question about the CP last day. My daughter's program is from June 15 to Jan 2. I've attempted to figure it out from all the posts, but does she move out Jan 2 or could she possibly work Jan 2 and have to move out Jan 3?

I'd ask my daughter to ask but she's in the midst of training AND she doesn't have her cell phone replacement yet.

No, she has to move out on Jan 2 before a certain time. Last time I did the program, we had to leave before 11am on our last day (which was Jan 4th for us). I don't know if the time changed or not. Her last day of work would be the day before or a few days before, it depends on what her schedule is like the last work, but they are not allow to schedule her to work on her last day. The only way she is allowed to work Jan 3 is if she extends to do the Spring Program or become seasonal.

 

[kikiq]

No, she has to move out on Jan 2 before a certain time. Last time I did the program, we had to leave before 11am on our last day (which was Jan 4th for us). I don't know if the time changed or not. Her last day of work would be the day before or a few days before, it depends on what her schedule is like the last work, but they are not allow to schedule her to work on her last day. The only way she is allowed to work Jan 3 is if she extends to do the Spring Program or become seasonal.

Thank you so much for clearing that up for me. She starts classes on Jan 4 and her dad was already trying to figure the logistics of getting her home and getting her to school.

I see that you did QSFB at DAK, that's what my daughter is doing, don't know any details yet. Thank you again.

 

[ptc]

My daughter has been a CP sicne the end of January -- she's scheduled to be done in August. She has applied for an extension -- does anyone know how often Disney grants these extensions and what criteria they look for? Thanks

 

[Traveliz]

My daughter has been a CP sicne the end of January -- she's scheduled to be done in August. She has applied for an extension -- does anyone know how often Disney grants these extensions and what criteria they look for? Thanks

I know you need a good record card -- aside from that it used to be fairly easy to be granted an extension.

Now with the fewer numbers they are hiring I am not so sure.

Liz

 

[ptc]

AS a follow-up -- one thing that has been a little disappointing in my daughter's time at Disney is the lack of any communication between anyone at Disney, and the parents. I think Disney did a geat job on check-in day to make people available to answer questions that parents had. But since then -- nothing, even though I signed up to get e-mail updates and other communications.

So now I'm at a point where I do want to talk to an adult/manager connected with the program -- not an immediate supervisor of my daughter, but someone more in a management position, to ask some general questions, but I don't have any sort of contact information. Can anyone help?

 

[dnoyes]

AS a follow-up -- one thing that has been a little disappointing in my daughter's time at Disney is the lack of any communication between anyone at Disney, and the parents. I think Disney did a geat job on check-in day to make people available to answer questions that parents had. But since then -- nothing, even though I signed up to get e-mail updates and other communications.

So now I'm at a point where I do want to talk to an adult/manager connected with the program -- not an immediate supervisor of my daughter, but someone more in a management position, to ask some general questions, but I don't have any sort of contact information. Can anyone help?

I'm not so sure Disney feels the need to communicate with the parent of an adult CPer. Not sure what questions you may have but I'm thinking she will need to handle it from her end. I don't know if it is even legal for them to answer questions about a employee.

 

[dnoyes]

AS a follow-up -- one thing that has been a little disappointing in my daughter's time at Disney is the lack of any communication between anyone at Disney, and the parents. I think Disney did a geat job on check-in day to make people available to answer questions that parents had. But since then -- nothing, even though I signed up to get e-mail updates and other communications.

So now I'm at a point where I do want to talk to an adult/manager connected with the program -- not an immediate supervisor of my daughter, but someone more in a management position, to ask some general questions, but I don't have any sort of contact information. Can anyone help?

Also, there is a gal named Joanna71985 on this board (look in the blogs thread) that has done this program several times and can answer most anything Disney. Send her a PM and I'm sure she could help you get some answers.

 

[kikiq]

I'm not so sure Disney feels the need to communicate with the parent of an adult CPer. Not sure what questions you may have but I'm thinking she will need to handle it from her end. I don't know if it is even legal for them to answer questions about a employee.

It's like sending your child to college now. You have to depend on your child to get answers about academics and financial issues. There are several Disney CPers who have done more than one session and have extended that read this thread. Hopefully one or two of them will answer.

 

[Joanna71985]

AS a follow-up -- one thing that has been a little disappointing in my daughter's time at Disney is the lack of any communication between anyone at Disney, and the parents. I think Disney did a geat job on check-in day to make people available to answer questions that parents had. But since then -- nothing, even though I signed up to get e-mail updates and other communications.

So now I'm at a point where I do want to talk to an adult/manager connected with the program -- not an immediate supervisor of my daughter, but someone more in a management position, to ask some general questions, but I don't have any sort of contact information. Can anyone help?

Unfortunately Disney doesn't contact the parents of CPs. Anything that goes on down there is handled between the CP and them.

What are your questions though? Maybe someone here can help.

 

[khancock]

So now I'm at a point where I do want to talk to an adult/manager connected with the program -- not an immediate supervisor of my daughter, but someone more in a management position, to ask some general questions, but I don't have any sort of contact information. Can anyone help?

Here is contact info that is located in the Educators section of the site:
http://www.wdwcollegeprogram.com/sap/its/mimes/zh_wdwcp/educators/contact/index.html

It is a bit more detailed than what they have in the students area. Even if it isn't exactly what you are looking for, they can forward it on.

If you are talking about their email newsletters on the site, I've found that they only send those out during the recruiting season. Even then, they aren't even on a regular schedule. They should really take "newsletter" out of it because it implies a regularly delivered communication piece. They also only focus on the recruiting season and contain very little, if any, info about what is going on on the current program.

I had heard that housing was going to send communication out about what was currently happening on the program to parents. I know they do this for the current participants each week. I don't know if this was something that was only being talked about or if they actually started doing it.

With specifics about employment and the like, they are on a very fine line about what they can and can't talk about. Since CPs are legal adults, they can't readily provide to another party even if they are a parent.

 

[ptc]

Thanks for the responses. The adjustment of child-to-adult is probably harder for the parent than the child -- I am constantly reminded in the past couple of years that, even though I still bear the primary financial responsibility for my child, the information I can get about what she is doing is limited to what she tells me -- which is a lot. But I still get that urge to find out things she doesn't know or is confused about, to see if I can help.

 

[kikiq]

Thanks for the responses. The adjustment of child-to-adult is probably harder for the parent than the child -- I am constantly reminded in the past couple of years that, even though I still bear the primary financial responsibility for my child, the information I can get about what she is doing is limited to what she tells me -- which is a lot. But I still get that urge to find out things she doesn't know or is confused about, to see if I can help.

I completely understand. It's frustrating and even more frustrating when you are still financially responsible. Our oldest is still in college and now has to be covered under COBRA until the end of the year when she'll get her own insurance. To find out any information about payment is like pulling teeth, neither her dad or his employer can get the payment information, she has to call. Hope you can your answers somehow.

 

[tlynk]

I just want to thank all the parents and students who have participated in this board. You have been extremely helpful! I want to extend an extra thank you to CP student Joanna- you have really helped us parents out a great deal.